Albany House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Albany House |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Former names | Union Bank, QBE Insurance |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Victorian Regency |
| Address | 119-125 York Street |
| Town or city | Albany |
| Coordinates | 35°01′36″S 117°53′00″E / 35.0267°S 117.8834°E |
| Construction started | 1884 |
| Completed | 1884 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | George Charles Inskip |
| Main contractor | Charles Keyser |
| Type | State Registered Place |
| Designated | 2 July 1999 |
| Reference no. | 58 |
| References | |
| Heritage Council of Western Australia | |
Albany House is a historic building in Albany, Western Australia. It stands proudly on the corner of Stirling Terrace and York Street. From here, it looks out over Princess Royal Harbour.
The building was finished in 1884. It was first built for the Union Bank of Australia. The main banking area was on the ground floor. The bank manager and their family lived on the first floor.
Contents
The Building's Design
Albany House is a two-storey building. It was built in the Victorian Regency style. This means it has a classic, grand look. The building is made from strong stone walls. These walls are covered with a smooth, painted finish.
Key Features of Albany House
- Strong Base: The building has a solid base called a plinth. It goes all around the front of the building.
- Unique Shape: It has a square shape with a cut-off corner. This is where the main entrance is. This corner faces the busy intersection of Stirling Terrace and York Street.
- Decorative Details: You can see a fancy band of decoration between the ground and first floors. There are also other horizontal patterns.
- Matching Sides: The two sides facing the streets look exactly the same. They have arched windows that are grouped in pairs.
- Balcony: The balcony on the north side has a wooden floor. It also has a beautiful railing made of cast iron.
- Roof: The roof is made of corrugated iron. It is hidden behind a low wall called a parapet. You can also see chimneys with decorative tops and a flagpole.
A smaller part of the building extends from the west side. This part reaches the boundary of the nearby London Hotel.
A Bank's History in Albany
The Union Bank opened a branch in Albany in 1878. John Franklin McMullen, the General Manager, started it. Other banks like the Commercial and National Banks also had branches in town.
Building the New Bank
McMullen bought the land for Albany House in 1879. Albany's future looked bright with the new Great Southern Railway being built. This led to plans for a new, grander bank building.
The famous architect George Charles Inskip designed Albany House in 1884. He also designed other Union Bank buildings in places like Perth, Fremantle, Roebourne, and Geraldton. Construction began after tenders were called for. The foundation stone was laid in August 1884. Charles Keyser built Albany House. He also built Vancouver House, another historic building nearby.
Changes Over the Years
In 1945, the land around Albany House was divided. The land behind the building, facing York Street, was sold. The building itself had some updates in 1950.
Mergers and New Owners
The Union Bank joined with the Bank of Australasia in 1951. They formed the Australian and New Zealand Bank (ANZ). Later, in 1970, ANZ took over the English, Scottish and Australian Bank. The bank then became the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. Eventually, the bank moved to a new location on Albany Highway.
Albany House was completely empty by 1973. It was sold in 1975 to the Wyness family. Then, in 1976, the Bellemore family bought it. They did more renovations to the building. In 1999, QBE Insurance used the ground floor as their offices.
In 2005, the building received a grant of A$5,000 from the state government. This money helped create a plan to protect and preserve the historic building.
Images for kids
-
Albany House as seen from York Street.
